


Way Down We Go(On Hold)

by Aech_Left



Series: Imprisoned [1]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Beating, Betrayal, Blood and Injury, Broken Bones, Cruelty, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gunshot Wounds, Kidnapping, M/M, Manipulation, Physical Abuse, Power Dynamics, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Abuse, Threats of Violence, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:54:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23430499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aech_Left/pseuds/Aech_Left
Summary: This is the new version of Imprisoned, it will be a series to hopefully make it easier to follow.Victor wants to own Oswald, to break him, to make him his and only his. Jim and Harvey are on the case but Zsasz is slippery and no one seems to know anything. They have to dig deep into Zsasz to understand his motive and his deep seated obsession with his former boss. How long can Oswald hold out? Will he make plans of his own?
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Victor Zsasz, Past Oswald Cobblepot/Jerome Valeska
Series: Imprisoned [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685509
Comments: 7
Kudos: 55





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> This first part of the series will be changed minimally but I am fixing many of the mistakes and clearing up dialogue so that it’s much easier to follow. It’s later chapters that show where I got lazy so later parts of the series will be changed significantly more than these.

Alarms are blaring. Oswald Cobblepot has escaped. Zsasz smirks as he and his one eyed friend exit Arkham. Victor pats headhunter on the shoulder, "We should split up, he can't escape both of us." Headhunter nods and starts walking in the opposite direction Zsasz goes in. Zsasz pulls his phone out, "Nygma. Everything go smoothly?"

"Yes, we are outside the warehouse. He's asleep. He loves whiskey so much he won't hesitate to drink it no matter who it's from. Just so we're clear-" Zsasz hangs up. That man talks too much. Victor quickly makes his way to the prearranged location. He sees Ed leaning on a stolen police car. "Finally you arrive. You know it's rude to hang up on someone? Especially when they are in the middle of a sentence. As I was saying on the phone, just so we're clear, I give him to you, you don't accept contracts to kill me. Correct?" Victor nods but thinks, 'I don't need a contract to kill you, I'll wait awhile but you will die by my hand.' "Excellent!" Riddler claps his hands in delight and opens the backdoor of the car to reveal a knocked out, striped jumpsuit clad penguin. "Your prize my good sir!" He gestures widely with his arms to the bird. Zsasz checks his watch and stares down the road. A black van driven by one of his henchwomen is approaching.

Zsasz looks back at Ed, "He loved you. Probably with every fiber of his being. Once he finds out, maybe I'll record the venom he spits, just for you." He pulls the unconscious escapee out of the car and into the van.

The riddle mans jaw tightens. "Like YOU can talk! I'm Neither bought nor sold but more valuable than gold, I am built but not by hand what am I?"

Victor frowns, "Trust."

Ed makes a thumbs up. "That's right Victor. He trusted you more than anyone else after I had left him. For a while, you were the only one he could trust. But I suppose he was wrong to do even that. He once told me, 'trust is such a hard thing to come by in Gotham' I realize more and more every day just how correct that statement truly is. We are living proof of his words.. He really is a victim of his own heart. Emotions are his driving factor and that would always be his downfall... I should leave before I start regretting my decision. Pop by the narrows sometime." Ed gets into the stolen vehicle and drives off. 'I truly despise you, Nygma.' Zsasz stands there, unmoving, lost in his own head until he hears footsteps drawing near. He quickly draws his guns.

"Victor Zsasz! Is that penguin?! Is he alive?!" Gordon approaches briskly and loud.

Zsasz holsters one of his guns and presses a finger to his lips. "Shhh, detective. The little bird is sleeping."

Gordon is startled a bit that the assassin hasn't killed his former boss. "Why haven't you killed him? Wasn't that your job?" His voice is lowered.

"Why do you want to know?" Victor evades the question.

"Call me curious. Can we just chat for a second?" Gordon holsters his gun so Victor does the same. The van door is shut and there's a locking sound. "Hey! Why'd you do that?"

"Don't want you getting ideas. Also, I don't know when he'll wake up. Call me cautious." Victor replies with a shrug.

Gordon narrows his eyes at the bald man. "Well, answer the question. Why isn't he dead?" Zsasz smirks as he thinks for a moment.

Then the assassin speaks, "I have a hobby, Jim. I like to take strong willed 'toys', crack open the shell, and see what's inside. Then, I put them back together the way I want them. I have a feeling I now have a rather complex toy in my possession. I've always wanted to know what it's like to have a penguin as a pet." Gordon's nose wrinkles at the sadists words. That's the most he's really heard the man speak.

Gordon swallows before choosing his words carefully. "You think it was a good idea to tell me that? It's my job to stop these kinds of things."

Zsasz grins. "Look the other way. If it's like this, he'll be out of your life."

"You know I can't do that. Open the door. Hand him over." Gordon walks closer to the van.

"A pity I can't take you too. Sofia wouldn't like that." Victor says sadly.

"You are a crazy sadist and I can't let you take him. Victor, is he really worth the trouble I'm gonna cause?" Gordon tries to appeal to the assassin.

"If he wasn't, would he be alive?" Victor says.

Jim thinks, 'He has a point. He wouldn't go through all of this if there wasn't something deeper.' "There's something else. Some other reason, connected to the others but on a deeper level... Did you think he understood you?" Zsasz flinches. "Did you think that he saw you as someone more than an obedient dog? You found out that he lied to you, or maybe you found out that he went behind your back. Oh I see. Sofia. A Falcone. You were loyal to the Don. You found out that he put a hit on Falcone and didn't tell you. There's more than that too, there's stuff I don't know. But what I do know, is that his existence means something to you. You want to control it, play god. Listen here Victor, what you plan to do won't help. Give him to me and move on. I'll even let you walk, just open the van door." Gordon looks at the clearly agitated man. 'Bingo. He's not composed anymore.'

Victors teeth are clenched and his hands are balled into fists. "Jim. I'll admit, most of what you've said is correct. However, it will help. I will break him. Expose his most private and inner thoughts. You shouldn't anger me. I've told you, you're a good egg. But I'll crush good eggs too if they seem rotten. Do yourself some good and stay out of my way. Sofia won't like it if I kill you, but she's very forgiving. Goodnight Jim." Zsasz says as his henchwoman hits the detective on the head with the butt of her gun. He smiles at her and hops into the van. They leave Gordon slumped over with a bloody spot on his head.

\---

Harvey jumps out of the car when he finally finds his partner. "Oh shit." He runs over to his friend. "Jim! Hey, hey, wake up buddy! What happened?" He pats him on the face.

Jims eyes dart around when he opens them. "MOTHERFUCKER!" He stands up abruptly and leans on Harvey.

"Whoa whoa partner, calm down. Who's a motherfucker?" Harvey asks as he leads Jim to the patrol car.

"Zsasz! Victor goddamn Zsasz!" He runs his hand through his hair.

"Well yeah he's an asshole but that's in his job description. Why are you so peeved now?" He asks his frustrated partner.

"He has Penguin Harv! He's gonna torture the guy! I thought I was talking him down but he was playing me for a fool! I hate Penguin but he doesn't deserve what that sadistic asshat is gonna give him. He deserves to be put behind bars, not used as a living, breathing stress ball! We've gotta find him." Harvey's eyes go wide as he listens to Jim. 

Harvey comments, "He doesn't deserve it? He's tortured people too. Maybe he treated Zsasz like dirt under his shoe and the guy just wants some payback. He'd be out of our way Jim. And think positive. Zsasz will probably also be out of our way for a while because he'll be preoccupied with the little bastard. It's a win-win Jim! Just leave it be!"

Gordon shoots a hateful look at his partner. "Harv. You didn't hear the way Zsasz was talking. He doesn't need information from Oswald. Torture tends to be much more brutal when there isn't an informational motive, it typically lasts much longer, sometimes years. You've seen Zsasz's 'work'. Even Oswald Cobblepot isn't deserving of it. Oswald only ever tortured people for information. If they betrayed him, he'd give them a pretty quick death. They'd bleed out fast or it'd be a shot to the head. Zsasz enjoys playing with his victims. Os didn't have a taste for it so Victor probably has a lot of stress built up from being tied down. Oswald was bad, but he had a heart. I don't think much of Victors heart is left." Harvey's protests disappear from his throat.

"O-Okay partner, I trust you. We'll find him. Penguin better hold on though, we don't have the slightest bit of information on Zsasz at all. He barely exists. How do you plan on finding him?" The detective grimaces at the thought of all the work this'll be.

"No idea, but our starting point will have to be the man who broke him out of Arkham in the first place. Riddler." Gordon says with a very intense look on his face.

\---

Zsasz sits in front of a still unconscious Oswald who's tied up and laying on the floor. He nudges the body with his steel toed boot. When nothing happens he kicks the man in his ribs. A gasp of air and frantic green-grey eyes grace Victor with their presence. When they land on the assassin they freeze in disbelief. "Thought you'd never wake up." He watches pink lips tremble as the poor man struggles to grasp the situation. "Confused? I bet." He presses the record button on a tape. "You're one and only Edward Nygma betrayed you, again." Oswald opens his mouth to yell but is silenced by another kick. "Shush. I'm talking. I don't want to have to sew your mouth shut, but it's an option. He handed you over to me, in exchange, I won't take any contracts to kill him." Oswald doesn't speak but the look in his eyes tells Zsasz that he immediately recognized the loophole in the deal. 'Edward is supposed to be smart, how did he not see it?' Tears form in the silent mans eyes. "Oh, don't cry... Actually, yes, cry. In fact, cry more, cry louder. I love it when your freckles show." He motions with his hands that Os can speak now.

"Vic-Victor! Stop spouting nonsense! He wouldn't-" Os sobs.

"Nonsense? Have you ever known me to 'spout nonsense'? It's the truth. He would. He did. Now you're mine." He speaks calmly.

Oswald chokes up before spewing obscenities about the man he so clearly still loves. Every harsh word the bird screeches adds a beautiful butterfly to Victors stomach. The ranting soon gets repetitive and boring so Victor stands up and lightly puts a foot on Oswald's ribs. Words cease and Os holds his breath. The foot lifts and comes back down, harshly knocking the wind out of the man. Then he begins to stomp and kick Oswald until he hears a popping sound with every kick and Oswald passes out from the pain. He steps away from the tear stained mess of a man and walks to the audio recorder. "How does that feel Nygma? Good? Bad? Do you feel regret? Especially since you know, even with everything he said just now, that he still loves you. Sting a little? Maybe next time I'll call you and put it on speakerphone." He presses the stop button on the device and packages it up with a nice green box and a big emperor penguin plastered on it. He gives it to one of his girls upstairs to deliver.

"Coward..." A wheeze comes from Oswald.

"Oh, awake so soon?" Victor sits back down. "Do explain. How am I a coward?"

"I thought you'd be more confident in your own ability but you tied me up. Afraid I'll best you?" He coughs up a little blood.

Victor smiles. "Unnecessary, true. What if I told you that honestly I just love the way it looks. The former 'King of Gotham' is tied up, bloody, and groveling below his former employee. Sounds familiar."

Oswald looks down at the concrete floor. "Just kill me, that's what you were hired to do right? Just skip the foreplay and end it."

"If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be here." He stares at the downcast man. "Foreplay? We aren't even there yet. That was just the introduction."


	2. Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon has some questions for a former colleague and Victor shows who has control over the situation.

"Nygma! Nygma! Edward Nygma!" Gordon shouts into the crowd of people holed up in the game show type place. He sees the man in a green suit exit through a side door. "Dammit!" He runs past the people and chases Nygma down several small alleys until he manages to tackle the guy.

"Jim Gordon. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He says as he stands up and casually leans against the wall like he wasn't now covered in grime.

"Penguin! Zsasz has 'im. What do you know about that?" The green man just shrugs in reply. "Okay, we'll do this another way." He grabs him by his collar and slams him into the wall. Then punches him in the face a few times.

"Okay, okay I'll tell you what I know, it's not much though." He smiles as he starts his riddle. "The space that’s underground Oswald can be found. He's in the space down below where things for storage go. He's in a place where cold air likes to flow."

Jim runs his hand through his hair. "Okay that's pretty simple. A basement. That doesn't help me much Nygma. I don't know if it's connected to a house, warehouse, or some other building. "

"Likely not connected to where he lives. There might be some meaning to the place he chose though. Look into Victors interests." They look down the alley and see a short haired woman approaching with a package decorated with a penguin. She sees them and keeps her distance. She sets the box down and runs away. There's no chance of catching her. "Oh dear." Ed goes and picks it up.

A gun is pointed at him. "Open it." Gordon nods at him. An audio setup is inside. Ed presses the 'play last recording' button.

"Your one and only Edward Nygma betrayed you, again." Ed grimaces and Jim shoots him a look. They hear the crying and Victors cruel voice. Then yelling and cursing. They hear feet walk a few steps and stop. Then the kicking and gagging noises start, it turns into flat out screaming and then silence. The steps get louder and Zsasz speaks, "How does that feel Nygma? Good? Bad? Do you feel regret? Especially since you know, even with everything he said just now, that he still loves you. Sting a little? Maybe next time I'll call you and put it on speakerphone." The recording stops.

Gordon grabs Eds collar again. "You are responsible for this!?"

"I REGRET IT! OKAY! I can't change it now. I've sent my best friend who freed me to a fate worse than death. If anyone can find him, it's you Gordon." Nygma shouts.

Jim lets go and sighs. "You should have never gotten involved with Zsasz. You should have known better. You're supposed to be smart. Don't tell me you also didn't notice the loophole in the deal." Ed looks confused. "You better hope I find him. He's gonna come after you too."

"He'd be breaking his deal then. He said that he wouldn't accept- oh crud." He realizes his error in judgment. "He's gonna kill me on his own. He doesn't need a contract to come after me. Oh dear. Jim. I know we have had our differences but we need to work together on this. I have brains."

"You do? Right now I feel like you're dumber than a third rate goon. You're coming with me down to the GCPD protective custody."

"What? No! That's less safe than out here. You’re forgetting that I was there when he waltzed right in demanding to see you. Nobody stands up to Victor Zsasz. Penguin and the Falcones were the only ones who did, and even they knew that Zsasz could easily kill them at anytime. The difference was that Falcone didn't restrain Victor so much as carefully control him. Penguin had no such control, and he tried to put a leash on a wild animal. Victor held a fond respect for the old man. And he believes that Oswald killed him."

"Believes? The way you say that... Sofia did it. Damn it all! Not only is the guy getting tortured, he's under false accusation."

"Ding ding ding! Correct!" Ed’s voice is chipper but clearly lacks his usual enthusiasm and energy.

"Why didn't you tell Zsasz?" Jim’s brow is extremely furrowed.

"He trusted Os more than me and he didn't even believe him. He wouldn't believe me and he'd probably decide to torture me too for adding salt to his wound. We need evidence. Get Sofia to admit it. Record it. I'll get the evidence to Zsasz somehow. I see his women around here sometimes."

Jim face palms. "After this is over. You better apologize to Oswald. To his face. He probably won't forgive you, but if you don't, I'll make sure you regret it. If Zsasz contacts you, come find me and if you can't find me in time, record it." Gordon storms out of the alley with the audio device and makes his way to the precinct. He heads home at 2am not finding anything in the gruesome files that could give any sort of lead. He decides to walk, so he can think. He notices an extra set of footsteps following him. He stops walking. "You need something from me?" He hears the person step out of the shadows and approach him.

"Howdy." The headhunter steps into full view. "I've heard you're looking into my buddy. He ditched me earlier, figure you might know what he's up to."

Gordon looks for any sign that Zsasz put him up to it. Seeing none, he tells him, "He's got the penguin, he's torturing him. It'd be nice if you could keep this between us for now."

"He's got the penguin! Shiiit, he said we should split up to look for him, I guess he just wanted me out of his way. He knows I would've just killed the man-child. Look. I just want my money and I don't appreciate bein' disrespected like that. Look, how's about we help each other out." He reaches to wrap an arm around Jim.

Jim dodges the arm and glares at the man. "Even if you help me find Oswald, I'm not just gonna let you kill him. Here's how this is gonna work. Either you help me out willingly, or I charge you as an accomplice and take you in."

The man just shrugs. "Alright, I'll see if I can figure out where he is. I'll even tell you if I figure it out. But if I get there before you, the bird's dead."

"This isn't a game!" Jim yells.

"Sure it is. Well then, adios Gordon." Headhunter holds his belt buckle as he walks away.

Gordon finally gets home. He sighs in relief but is quickly tensed up again hearing movement in his kitchen. "Zsasz!" He goes to head after the man but a gun is pointed in his direction.

"Ah, ah, ah. Hi Jim. So, not gonna look the other way? One of my girls said you were talking to Nygma. Did you like the recording?" He digs in the fridge with one hand and keeps the gun on Jim. He drinks down half of the milk while awaiting a reply.

"Is this going to become a regular occurrence? Should I just buy some for you too?" Jim says, trying to stall so he can figure out what to say in reply. "In that recording penguin was awfully quiet at the end. Is he okay?" Jim asks.

"Okay is very broad. What counts as okay? He's alive. But that is also a broad term. If you were wondering about his injuries, just broken ribs. He wants me to just kill him. That wouldn’t be much fun though would it? I gave one of the girls a phone for him." He pulls out his own phone and scrolls through his contacts, a click, ringing.

It picks up and Victor tells her to place the phone to penguins ear. Silence. "Hi Oswald, I'm here with your old friend Jim. You can speak." Jim cocks his head a bit at the command.

A broken voice comes through the receiver. "Jim Gordon?" His voice is more scratchy and nasally than normal.

"Do you know any other old friend Jims?" Victor asks and there's a sob through the receiver.

Gordon thinks, 'This is some kind of power play. By doing this he's making Oswald think that even I can't save him. The culprit is right in front of me. But he's too slippery.' "Penguin! I'm gonna find you! Okay? Just hold on for a while. I'll put this sick bastard away. That's a promise." Victor just grins wider.

"Like a favor? Jim? Just like all those favors you NEVER payed back. Can I really believe you?" Penguin grits out the words.

The assassins teeth show in his sadistic smile at the birds words. "Yeah, Jim. Can he really believe you? I mean EVERYONE he trusted has let him down. You. Me. Ed. Butch. Gabe. And so many others. Trust is such a hard thing to come by in Gotham. You once said that Ossy. You don't listen to your own words."

The penguin comes through again, "It's not that trust itself is hard to come by. Mutual trust, unbroken trust, and correctly placed trust are what's so hard to find. Being in this horrid situation of mine, I've come to realize that I've just been placing my trust, love, and care in the wrong places. Especially with YOU VICTOR!"

Victors eyes darken at the jab at him. "That's not how you should speak about the person who holds your life in his hands. We'll talk when I get back."

"No! I’m sorry! Victor ple-" Zsasz hangs up the call.

Gordon is shocked at everything he's heard. He stands in front of the door. "What're you going to do to him?"

"Obedience training. Even a pet has to have manners." He walks closer to Jim and the exit. Jim presses himself against it. determined to get some answers before the man leaves. "Come on Jim." Victor says in an intimidatingly low yet almost playful voice.

"Give me a hint. Where is he?" Jim stands his ground. "I'm not letting you leave unless you give me an answer. I've beaten you before."

Zsasz holsters his gun. "Oh Jim. I didn't really want to beat you before. If I really wanted you dead, I wouldn't be speaking to you, I'd have already lodged a bullet in your skull. But I'll give you a hint, just one though." He pulls out his phone and clicks a button. Funky town starts playing. "I like that song." Jim is confused but he guesses it's all he'll get. "Now please move." Jim stays put. Victor leans close to Jim and whispers. "I said please." He wraps his hands around Gordon's neck and strangles him to the floor. When Jim passes out and struggling ceases, Victor pulls out a second phone and slips it into the inside pocket of Jims blazer. He leaves the flat to head back to his entertainment.


	3. Manners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey has a promising lead and Victor learns something shocking from Oswald.

Victor briskly makes his way into the spacious room. Penguin is shivering in the corner. "Cold?" He walks over to the small man and loves the strong flinch he receives from the penguin. "Don’t you know It's embarrassing to be talked about so rudely in someone else's presence?"

"Sorry I can't help but point out that you're an asshole." Os mutters quietly in hopes it won't be heard. Zsasz crouches down to be at eye level and pets his black hair. The former kingpin tries to get away from his touch but he's against a wall. Zsasz softly caresses the hair, but he then suddenly grips a handful of the locks.

"You should submit to me sooner rather than later. I don't want to get too rough with you." He smirked at the last part. Such a lie, he wants to break the bird. Snap the wings so he can't fly away. Not that a penguin could fly anyway. Make him want to stay because he has nowhere else to go. No one who wants him. No one who loves him. Zsasz will be his everything, his whole world will now revolve around the sadist. It shouldn't matter if he lies, after all, Penguin lied all the time.

"I will NEVER bend to a TRAITOR like you!" The bird spits his words.

"But...You've agreed with me before, I do good work right boss? Oh right, you aren't the boss anymore. Tell me. Who's the boss?" He whispers into the former crime lords ear. Penguin purses his lips. His hair is held even tighter. "Oswald. It's simple. Is it too humiliating for you to be below someone who used to be below you?" The hair is released. "We'll work on that. Now, here's what I want to do. I want to release your hands and secure your ankle to that chain over there secured to that wall. You'll be able to reach the bathroom, a couch, a small table for two, and a mattress with a warm blanket. Doesn't that sound nice?" Oswald doesn't say anything but shoves his hands forward to be released.

When they are free, he stays on the floor just rubbing his wrists. He waits for the 'okay' to get up, he just wants to sleep under that warm blanket. Victor puts his hand out for Os to take. He takes it and he's walked over to the bathroom where the chain is sitting on the floor. The bathroom has no door to shut. He examines the chain, it’s long and connects to a metal pole back in the center of the room. He isn't immediately hooked up to it. "You have to use the bathroom?" Victor asks. Oswald nods. "You can go." Oswald turns so that he's sure his junk will be out of view and relieves himself. He zips back up and expects to now be hooked up to the chain. Instead of that, he is beckoned into the walk-in shower. Zsasz takes off his outer jacket and is left in his black pants and black tank top. Os shudders at all of the tallies adorning Victors arms. He looks to Oswald, "Undress, we're gonna clean you up." When the small guy doesn't do what was asked, Zsasz grabs the detachable shower head and turns on the cold water and drenches the captive. He begins shivering anew but still doesn't make any move to strip. "It's really not a big deal Os. And I'm getting a little tired of your silence."

"I don't like being undressed in front of others. I really just don't like being touched." Oswald pleads.

"We all have to do and deal with things we don't like." With that, the assassin unzips the penguins jumpsuit with one fluid motion and pulls the top of it down Oswalds shoulders. Hands reach to stop him but they are simply ignored. Os is too weak to do any real damage. Every movement must hurt his ribs terribly. Zsasz strips the man completely naked and tosses the striped uniform to the side. The Penguin drops to the floor and curls in on himself. "Don't be like that. Look, the water's warm now." He faces the water back to Oswald and the tolerably hot water relaxes him just a smidge. Something cold is drizzled onto his hair and back. The hot water stops and hands are lathering the soap onto his body and into his hair. His muscles spasm with the unwanted touches but he stays put. His legs are pried out from in front of him and soon he's completely covered in the cheap smelling hotel-esque soap. A scream echoes throughout the basement when Oswald's privates are touched. "I'm just washing you."

Oswald scrambles to the side of the tiled wall. "Can't I do it myself!?"

Victor just shrugs. "I don't see why not." Black orbs just stare at the discombobulated man.

"You aren't gonna leave, or at least turn around?" Victor shakes his head in response and Oswald somehow feels more awkward now than when Zsasz was doing it for him. He runs his hands down himself and as he does, the humiliation of it all really weighs on him. He's being treated like a pet. He reaches out for the shower head but Victor pulls it just out of reach and grins.

"Say please." Victor says, amusement playing in his voice. Oswald curls back up into a ball in defiance. Oswald is yanked into a standing position and sprayed with freezing cold water until he's completely rid of suds. He's then roughly pulled out of the shower and a towel is raked over his body in such a manner that it feels like it's rubbing his skin raw. 'I've angered him again. What does he expect from me? Of all people, he should know that I don't bend so easily.' Penguin thinks. He hears the chain clink and feels the cold pressure around his ankle. He's being walked over to the mattress now. A firm push sends him down onto the stiff bed.

He flips around to look up at Zsasz. "Clothes?" He wants to yell but contains the urge.

"You've been very disobedient tonight. No clothes. Maybe if you're good, you'll get to wear something tomorrow." Victor says. He sits down on the mattress beside Os.

"How long do you intend on keeping me here?" Oswald asks in a quiet, worried voice.

"How long do you intend to live?" That's the reply he gets. It sends chills down to his bones. He grabs the thick blanket to cover himself. Tears escape his eyes once more. Zsasz pulls him close and licks a tear off of his cheek. The action just makes him cry harder into the scarred mans chest.

The sadist can't help but tease, "I think my name would look amazing carved into your flesh. Don't you? The real question is how. A brand? Or a knife?" A choked sob comes out at the assassins words. After a few hours of more cruel ideas and threats mixed with words of false compassion, Zsasz decides that it's time to head home. He places a bottle of water and a piece of bread on a napkin laying on the floor. "See you later." Os hears a heavy metal door lock behind his captor. Zsasz wears a toothy smile the whole way home.

——

Jim wakes up with a crick in his neck at 7:30am to a voicemail from Harv. "Jim. You plan on sleeping all day? I expected you to be at the precinct before me. Well anyway, I think I've got something good. Hurry up and get your ass here."

He winces at the way his throat feels scratchy from being choked out. “Goddammit Zsasz...” He goes to take a shower but he feels something in his pocket when he's taking his blazer off. "What the hell?" It's a phone. It's the phone he had been given by Penguin that only contained his number. 'Zsasz must have put it there, but why?' Thinking about the phone, he takes a shower and gets ready for work. He makes sure to bring the phone with him to the precinct. He goes to his office where Harvey is already sitting down. He shuts the door behind him. "Hey Harvey." He sits.

"Did you find anything last night, partner?" The detective leans forward on the desk. Gordon sighs and begins his story of last night, starting with the riddler. When he's done talking about the encounter itself he pulls the audio recording out of his desk and plays it. "Holy hell." Harvey rests his forehead in his hand as he listens to the cruelty. "Zsasz is one fucked up son of a bitch." Harvey mutters. The recording ends and Jim talks about headhunter following him and Victor being in his apartment and giving him the phone. "He strangled you! We could bring him in on that charge alone!"

Jim shakes his head. "He didn't leave a bruise, it'd just be my word against his. We have to get something solid." He sets the phone down in front of him. He hadn't opened it earlier so he does now. Flipping it open, he sees that there is no number in the phone at all anymore. "What? What's the point of giving me a blank phone?"

"So he can call you. Not the other way around." Harvey says.

"So I just wait around for a call while he hurts Penguin? I think not. What do you got Harv?"

“One of his women. Give me a few days, we’ll get something good.” He hands Jim a file.

——

Victor quietly makes his way into the large room. Oswald is sleeping. He places a pillow on the floor in front of the mattress and sits on it. "Oswald." He speaks in a soft tone but it still startled the man awake and he scrambles backwards clutching the blanket against his naked body. "It's alright. Look I've brought you some more water and a sandwich..." Oswald looks at the food in disinterest. "Okay, I've got what you really want. Look. Clothes." He presents everything in a line in front of him. The clothes are a black silk pajama set. He lays down no underwear. "Everything else here is pretty cheap so I figured your clothes could be a bit more expensive... You really won't talk to me?"

"My mother told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say then to not say anything at all." Oswald says, sounding pretty downcast. Even so, Oswald doesn’t hesitate to stand up to make it easier to get him dressed, eager to be covered again. Oswald lets him put his shirt on but is momentarily confused as to how they will put on his pants with the chain on his ankle. He hears a zipping noise and sees that one pant leg zips all the way down.

"I figured I'd get them modified for our.. special situation. It provides me with a way to clothe you without unlocking the anklet.” ‘And easy access.’ Oswald shudders once more and feels tears grace his eyes as his pants are pulled on and his pant leg is zipped up. “Do you have any sexual experience Oswald?” The man in question jerks his head up at the question. “Well?”

“N-no.” He stutters through his lie.

“Who?” Victor is surprised.

“I said I haven’t.” Penguins face is pale. A smack resonates through the room. Oswald holds the side of his face.

“Don’t lie to me. Who?” Zsasz gets more serious seeing the looks on his captives face.

Oswald closes his eyes and sits down, Zsasz follows suit. “In Arkham.. That bastard clown.” Tears glide down his face.

“Did he take your-“ He is cut off by yelling.

“No! No! It wasn’t that! It was just.. just touching, and w-with my mouth...” He curls in on himself. Victor hugs him.

“It isn’t your fault Oswald. He’ll never touch you again.” Oswald sobs into his captors chest. Victor looks to the constructive side of his brain as to how he will deal with the clown.


	4. Sweet Cruelty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor confesses to his captive. Harvey’s lead gives interesting insight into Victor.

The hitman closes the heavy door as quietly as he can behind himself and slowly approaches the mattress. “Oswald..” The man launches himself away from his captor with a wheeze and small shriek. He clutches the blanket to himself tightly and glares at his former employee. Victor smiles and waves in greeting. “Don’t worry, I don’t have much time right now. I just want to know more about you. I’ll wrap your ribs too, they are probably sore.”

Victor grins wide, a few teeth making an appearance. “Just to make sure they don't heal awkwardly. Come here." He beckons to Os with his hands. To his surprise, the man actually starts crawling toward him. He brings the blanket but Victor quickly snatches it away. He pulls him into his lap which causes a sharp sound of pain to leave the bird which Zsasz ignores. "I'm probably warmer than that blanket anyway." He unbuttons the silk adorning his prisoner and sets it aside. Oswald resists being held against Victors chest. The struggling ceases soon because the more he does so, the tighter the grip on his ribs gets. The stretchy wrap is picked up from the ground and pulled around Oswald's naked chest. When it's done, he is hugged to the assassins chest, which is indeed warm. No matter how warm it is, it doesn't stop the shivering because Oswald is shivering from fear, not the cold.

“Why should I tell you anything?” Penguin asks with anger lacing his words.

“Because I love you.” The penguins eyes go wide.

“Since when?” Penguin asks. 'Why didn't you just tell me? That probably would've led to a much more desirable situation.'

Victor shrugs, "I don't know for sure when it started, all I know is that for a while, I didn't know why you made me itch. I started noticing little things you do that either piss me off or make me want to kiss you. In any other relationships, I had never thought that I wanted to kiss them and it was always initiated by the other." He pauses for a second and sits down. Oswald is released and sits back down on the bed.

Oswald blurts, "Why didn't you just tell me! I wouldn't have judged you or been cruel about it.."

"That's exactly why. You'd treat me differently. Not by being cruel or mean. But by being just the opposite. You should know more than anyone how much it stings when the person you love is nice to you just because of your feelings. I didn't want your sympathy or anything. I just wanted you, and I was certain you wouldn't give that to your subordinate." He takes off his jacket and folds it before setting it on the floor next to him.

"I'd rather have let Ed give me his sympathy than have made him hate me. I'd do anything to change what I did." Zsasz was starting to get flustered but Oswald continued speaking anyway. "He taught me that love means being able to sacrifice your own happiness for someone else. What you're doing isn't love." He looks up at Victor and feels his blood go cold. Victors eyes are dark from the talk of Oswald's love. His hands are clasped together and his knuckles are white. Oswald immediately goes to apologize and try to somehow correct his terrible error. "I'm not saying that you don't love me Victor, I'm just saying that this isn't the best way to-" he’s cut off by hands on his throat. They squeeze. Oswald claws at the hands on his neck. Odd gasping and choking noises come from him. He feels his skin pinch as the grip grows tighter. As his chest heaves violently and his vision darkens the hands slowly release. Zsasz stands up and Oswald lays motionless save for his chest as he gulps down air to his deprived lungs. The jacket is grabbed harshly and heavy footsteps lead out of the room. Os gingerly touches his reddened neck. It’s tender now and his throat feels dry. “ Love ..”

——

Jim arrives early to the office. Harvey is sitting at his desk. When he sees his partner, he gets up and motions for Jim to follow. They go into an interrogation room. A woman is sitting at the table. She has spiked hair and is wearing leather.

Harvey pipes up, "She works for Zsasz. She said she'd tell us what we want to know if we can guarantee she can escape Gotham safely with her daughter."

"Done." Jim says immediately. He sits down in front of her. "So, what do you know?"

"What do you need to know?" She replies.

"Ok. Zsasz and Nygma both suggested that I should learn about him. His personality and interests I guess. He also played a song, I've heard it before but I don't know the name."

"The song was probably Funky Town. It's a disco song that he loves, he uses it as his ringtone and for alarms. I don't know where he's keeping Penguin, but it might be related to his disco obsession. Zsasz is an eccentric, his personality doesn't match his looks for the most part. He looks like a very serious person but he drops one liners and ironic comments all the time. Maybe an old comedy club? Also, even though he may call it a basement, it might not be a basement at all. He likes to name things. I was his main lady for three years. I was called Mistress."

Harvey writes all of this down. Gordon clarifies, "Was there a reason you were called that? Did you two.. have relations?"

She nods, "We were close, I came on to him. I thought I was in love with him. I soon found that we were incompatible. He's a control freak, and rougher than most. I had too many bruises to count. Not from him getting angry and hitting me or anything. He wasn't that type. He just turned into an animal when we got intimate. Biting was the worst." She pulls her arm out of her jacket and pulls her shirt down below her shoulder revealing a nasty scar. "This one got infected. The next morning when he looked at me, he said he was sorry and that we should end things. It's like he has a predator inside of him that is released sometimes. He ended things for my sake. I think he worried he'd break me like his other victims. It's his curse. He can't be with another because he simply can't control himself. He beats himself up about it. Do you know why I'm telling you about this so in depth?" Jim and Harvey are shaken about the information that has been spilled.

Jim speaks up, "To help us. But, it does seem off topic to be talking about Victors failed love. What's the connection?"

She smiles a sad smile. "After me, he turned to bedding men. When I asked him why, he said that he didn't mind hurting guys nearly as much. That they could handle it better. I'm talking about it because he came to love his boss. When Oswald was his boss he talked to me all the time about how he yearned so much for the ill-tempered man. Now that he has him in his clutches, I worry he might completely give in to his predatory side. You should try and find him quickly, if he manages to condition that bird or get him to submit.. He might take him home. If that happens then I doubt you'll ever find him. None of us girls even know where he lives." Jim face palms and sighs after the monologue.

Harvey is the fist to speak. "So uhhh.. Zsasz is like, into Penguin?" She nods. He sighs. "Why can't it ever be easy? Why couldn't Penguin have just treated him like shit and this just be a revenge thing?"

She seems to realize something else and speaks up again. "Actually I think it is revenge. I recall Victor being completely frustrated one day. He was pacing and yelling about 'how everything would've worked out' if the boss had just let him kill 'that bastard Nygma'. Penguin froze Ed instead of killing him. That's gotta have something to do with it. And the whole thing about him killing Falcone behind his back."

"The Falcone thing's bull." Jim cut in. She looks shocked.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"Sofia killed Falcone. Not Penguin. She framed him to get him out of her way." She chokes up and laughs. "What the hell?" Jim asks.

"He was so upset about it. That was the whole reason he betrayed the stupid bird." Her smile fades. "I don't know what he'll do when he finds out, probably maim himself and break things. Probably go after Sofia."

"You think he'll free Oswald if he knows?" Jim asks hopefully but not confidently.

She scoffs. "Not a chance, that's something deeper still. He wants Oswald to be his possession. That won't change no matter what you tell him."

"I thought as much." Jim thinks for a second, 'If he goes after Sofia, either he'll kill her and I can arrest him, or I can arrest Sofia and he'll come to me. I'll get proof but in the meantime...' Then he speaks, "Would he believe it if you told him?"

She nods but then her eyes go wide. "I can't. What if he finds out that I talked to you!? He will kill me! My daughter would be orphaned!" Her refusal is loud and sounds final.

"Ma'am, please reconsider. You might be the only way to save a mans life. If you don't tip him off then he won't know. If you act natural, it'll be smooth sailing. I won't let anything happen to you. Wouldn't you like to start a new life with a clear conscience?" Harvey pleads with her.

She puts her head in her hands and sighs. “I'll think about it. Let me go home for now. I'll give you a call when I decide... You promise I'll get out of here, out of Gotham?” Jim nods and stands up. He rubs her shoulder comfortingly and Harvey opens the door. She leaves and Harvey sighs obnoxiously loud.

"Shit-damn partner. This is getting crazier every second. You better go get some evidence against Sofia. I hope you know what you're doing." Jim knew Harvey was concerned because Sofia would spill all the dirt she has on Jim the second she was in custody. 'I don't care if she talks. I deserve whatever comes to me. All that matters is saving Oswald and stopping Sofia.' He steels his resolve. He gets a message on the blank phone. It reads. 'Can’t trust anyone anymore:(' 

Jims blood runs cold. "Shit. Harvey, find that woman and get her out of Gotham, Victor knows she talked. And look into abandoned comedy and disco clubs." Jim leaves the precinct with a plan.

He's only a few steps out of the building when he gets a call from Nygma. "Jim! I'm in a bit of a sticky situation."

"Is it Zsasz!? Where are you?!" Jim shouts into the receiver.

"Actually no. It's that headhunter guy! We're in the Narrows at the warehouse I met Victor at."

Head Hunter yells in the background, "Aww, are you guys talking about me?"

Gordon speaks, "So,what's the situation?"

"So, headhunter is currently tied to a chair. I've been asked him what he knows but he's terrible at riddles and he says he doesn't like me. So I need yo-" Jim cuts him off.

"I've already talked to him, he's useless. Let him go. He doesn't know where Oswald is." At that, Ed just hangs up with a ‘Crud.’


	5. One-sided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sofia is confronted with her manipulation, Headhunter has a bone to pick with Victor. Jim still wants to keep Zsasz from being what he is, a killer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long. This quarantine shit got me in a low key depressive state.

One of his women talked and he wasn’t able to gut her for it. What a shit day, he slams the door behind himself as he makes his way to the bird currently scurrying away. He grabs a leg and is quickly on top of Oswald. Nails scratch across Victors cheek. They cut deeper than Oswald expected them to and blood dribbles from the small wounds. Victor swipes a finger across the blood and licks his finger. His teeth show in a predatory smile. He grabs the birds hands in a crushing grip and presses them into the mattress above Oswald's head. The other hand slides down past his bony hips to his ass and squeezes.

"Victor please. Don't do this. You’ll regret it." Oswald means to sound threatening but instead just sounds like a nervous wreck.

“Eventually you are going to beg for me.” Zsasz says, grinding slightly against him.

"I won't, I promise." The little man says adamantly.

"I could easily have my way with you, yet I haven’t. You should be showing some gratitude. Unless you want me to rip you apart.." He trails his eyes back down his victim and grinds a bit harder to make his arousal clear.

"Fuck you." Oswald says with pouty lips.

Victor first kisses the shackled man lightly, then slides his tongue between worried lips, he pulls away for a second. "You shouldn't bite your lips Os. It's a bad habit." He says in a voice full of false concern. "Don't move. Don’t speak." Tears blur Oswald’s eyes and his face is positively flushed. When those green-grey eyes look up, it sets a fire in his captor. Those eyes are distant and blurry with tears. “You’re so beautiful.” He starts roaming the pale expanse of Oswald’s chest with his hands. Oswald shivers and wiggles a bit out of discomfort and pain when the hands ghost over his ribs. He makes his way down to the former kingpins bony hips and is about to move lower when his phone rings. “Damn it all.” He mutters a bit before answering. “Miss Falcone... Okay, I'm on my way." He shuts the phone and puts his jacket back on before looking down at his former boss's tear stained face. "I've gotta go see your old subordinate, Mr. Pen. And I have to get there before Gordon." He gets off of the frightened man and puts his jacket back on. He briskly leaves the room. Oswald let’s out a harsh breath and then begins to sob.

-

When he makes it to the building, he sees his friend waiting for him. When he starts to walk in, headhunter puts a hand on Victors shoulder. "Hey buddy. I heard you caught the Penguin, didn't tell me, and haven't told me for like, a week." 

Zsasz looks at his friend. "Can I explain later?" He nods to the building. "We've got a job to do right now."

"Sure pal." They walk into the building and catch up to Sofia. Then they start shooting the place up when they see Gordon already there with Pen.

Gordon starts shouting. "Sofia Falcone! I will not be under your thumb anymore!" He ducks behind a wall and sends Mr. Pen with Harvey unnoticed.

Sofia smiles. "Oh Jim, no matter how much you want to not be, I've still got you in my clutches. Unless you want me to ruin you." She continues walking towards him confidently.

"Did you tell Zsasz? What you did?" Jim asks. Headhunter looks royally confused. Victor tunes in as if he wasn't listening before. He just looks at Sofia for some sort of answer or command.

"Tell him what? I'm the boss, why do I have to tell him anything?" Sofia remarks.

"You don't think he should know that him betraying Penguin, working for you... you don't think he should know that you orchestrated all of it? That you lied? That you killed your own father?!" Her jaw tightens as she sees Victors eyes shift in thought.

"Victor! Can't you tell he's lying!?" She has stopped walking and snaps towards the assassin.

Victor speaks now, "Sorry for questioning if I'm wrong, but, why would Jim lie? He's a good guy, I don't see a reason for him to lie about this. If you can tell me why he would, I won't question you further." Rage dances behind his eyes as he waits for an answer.

She stumbles on her words. "He just wants me gone! He'd do anything to have his precious Gotham ruled by anyone but me!" She desperately shouts.

"See, Sofia, this is why you will never rule Gotham." He says. "You can't talk your way out of this. Penguin definitely could have. Your father wouldn't have needed to. Fish Mooney wouldn't have even misstepped like this in the first place." She raises her gun and shoots Gordon in his abdomen. She is quickly disarmed by Victor and Headhunter heads back outside, leaving Sofia to Zsasz's mercy. Jim shouts, "Don't do this Victor!"

"Fine." Zsasz let's her go. She grabs her gun and runs after the now fleeing detective. Zsasz just walks slowly, following. Soon, Jim is cornered as Victor expected. Sofia shoots him a few more times and aims for the kill shot. A gunshot rings out, but it isn't Sofias. Victor shot Sofia right in the head. "Now you've got more holes in ya Jim. Now you owe me for saving your life." Victor walks closer to Sofias body. "People in Gotham don't seem to stay dead anymore. So, just in case." Zsasz raises his boot and stomps on her skull repeatedly until there a cracking noise and her skull buckles under the pressure. Then he shoots her a few more times. Once in the head again, twice through the heart.

Jim gasps out, "How's that feel? Over kill won't take back the fact that you betrayed Oswald. That you believed her over him just because she was a Falcone."

"Shut up Jim." Victor turns and leaves the building. He bumps into Lee. "Might wanna help out Jim. He was shot like 5 times." He tells her then rushes out of the building where he sees Headhunter waiting for him. He stands next to his friend.

Headhunter starts the conversation. "You got the Penguin."

Victor nods, "Yep. I don't want him dead."

"What're you doin' to him?" Headhunter leans against the bricks behind him.

"Training him. Conditioning. It’s going to be a tougher process because I'm trying to figure out how to do that without destroying his personality as well. I usually don’t need to preserve anything in a subject." Victor says, he puts his hands in his pockets.

"You coulda just told me that. Can I at least give him a good kickin’?" Victors eyes narrow at the request.

The bald man glares as he speaks, "Do you think I'm stupid, Hunter? I know you better than to let you see someone you were hired to kill. I'm guessing you've talked to Jim or something. Otherwise you would've tried to be more slick about it. The answer is no. If Jim asks you anything else, you tell him nothing. If you say anything, if you poke your nose in this anymore, I will hunt YOU." He says this while glaring into his friends eyes.

Head Hunter laughs but his eyes are serious. "Are we really doing this? Getting at each other's throats over a damn bird. Is it because he was your boss? Didn't think you were the sentimental type bud." Zsasz pulls his gun out and cracks Headhunter on the side of his head. The man holds the bleeding side in one hand. He pulls a gun on Zsasz with the other.

Victor has his own gun pointed at his friend. "I won't hesitate to hurt you Hunter. Don't push me."

Headhunter grins. "I thought we was partners. You ain't the boss Victor. Stop talking like you are." He steps closer to Victor. They look at each other like animals sizing each other up for a fight. Zsasz sees his friends eye twitch, a tell that Victor had noticed about his buddy a while ago. His eye involuntarily twitches when he's about to shoot. Zsasz shoots his friend in the hand but Headhunters gun has already fired. A bullet goes into Victors shoulder. He ignores it and shoots his old pals other hand. Headhunter starts gasping at the holes in his hands. Victor then unloads his gun into the mans hands.

"Now try to shoot me, if your hands ever work again I'll let you shoot me.. That was a lie. If they ever work again, I'll chop them off. Stay out of my way. You're lucky I didn't kill you.”

"Gh, might as well have. Goddammit.." he lays his limp hands in his lap. Zsasz holds pressure onto his shoulder and heads across town to 'the basement', he needs to see Oswald.

——

Victor quietly enters the room holding his shoulder. Oswald is sitting up, wrapped in the blanket. He asks Victor, "What's the time?" Victor takes off his watch and tosses it onto the mattress. Zsasz doesn't know what to say or do. He just stands there, face pale and arm drenched in his own blood. Oswald turns around. "What happened Victor?" He doesn't really look surprised but he doesn't look like he expected it either. Zsasz doesn't say anything. He grabs the gauze wrap and a washcloth and sits on the couch. "Victor. Is the bullet still in your arm?" The man shrugs. "I bet it is. You have to take it out before wrapping it. Zsasz sighs and reaches into his pocket, he pulls out a relatively small knife. He strips his torso of clothing and wipes the blood from the wound. He looks at it closer and sees part of the bullet glisten.

"Dammit." That's the only thing he says before he starts digging into the wound with his knife. Oswald cringes at the sight and turns away. After what felt like it had to be like 15 minutes of digging and grunting, a clinking sound makes Os turn back around. The bullet lays on the floor, little spots of blood dot the concrete around it. Oswald stands up.

"Do you want me to help you wrap it?" Victor doesn't respond so Oswald makes his way over to the bald man. His chain rattles and drags along the hard floor. "So, what happened...Zsasz?" He picks up the gauze and starts pulling out over the wound. Victor doesn't speak until his shoulder is completely wrapped up. He pats the seat next to him and Oswald sits.

"You didn't kill Falcone." Zsasz says.

An empty laugh leaves the Penguin. "I told you I didn't. But you didn't believe me." The words are bitter and serve to make Victor feel worse. "You know Sofia did it, right?" The former kingpin asks.

"Sofia is dead." Victor says. "When Headhunter pushed me I was already in a bad mood so.."

Oswald's eyes are wide. "You killed them?"

"Hunter is alive. His hands are done for though." Victor sighs again. "He shot me."

"Will you let me go?" Oswald's thought slips out of his lips. He prepares to be hit or kicked or something. Nothing happens.

"Not today." The assassin says. Oswald's eyes lighten up but he doesn't speak, he just thinks, 'So some other day then?'

Victor looks at his captive. "I'm sorry Oswald. For betraying you. Let me kiss you. Let me have this illusion." He seems to be telling the truth. This is really the most earnest he's ever seen Victor. The assassin leans over to Oswald and presses their lips together.

Oswald kisses back for a second and then pulls back to speak. "Victor. I did like you. I don't think it was love, but I had an interest in you. Things could've been different if you'd said something. What good is love if it's one sided?" He goes back to kissing Zsasz before he can respond. Soon, a tongue caresses the birds lips. He grants entrance and he clumsily tries to reciprocate the kiss. Arms encircle Oswald and the kiss gets more passionate. He makes small noises that Victor can't get enough of. He nibbles on the pale mans lips and licks down his neck, leaving a trail of hickeys. When he's done with marking up Oswald's neck, he just hugs him. He presses his nose into the crook of Oswald's neck and pushes him down so that they are snuggled together on the couch. Zsasz falls asleep next to the one he so desperately loves. Oswald begins plotting in his head, ignoring the crushing pain in his ribs.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated! They absolutely make my day and I read them over and over.


End file.
